Dynamo itching to face off with Atlante

Dynamo itching to get on fieldTeam says it is ready to take on Atlante tonight

BERNARDO FALLAS, Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

Published 6:30 am, Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Photo: Julio Cortez, Houston Chronicle

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Competition was fierce when the Dynamo’s Ricardo Clark, left, and Atlante’s Gabriel Pereyra first met in last year’s 4-0 win by the Dynamo. Tonight should be no different.

Competition was fierce when the Dynamo’s Ricardo Clark, left, and Atlante’s Gabriel Pereyra first met in last year’s 4-0 win by the Dynamo. Tonight should be no different.

Photo: Julio Cortez, Houston Chronicle

Dynamo itching to face off with Atlante

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Logic would dictate that, having only three weeks of preseason under their belts, the Dynamo would have wanted a few more days to prepare for today’s CONCACAF Champions League showdown against Mexican club Atlante at Robertson Stadium.

After all, there is more at stake than another preseason match or a simple home opener. It is the first leg of a two-match, aggregate-scoring quarterfinal series, one the Dynamo should win if they plan to advance in the international tournament.

And given Atlante is seven matches into its regular season in Mexico — the Dynamo don’t start theirs for almost another month — perhaps it would only be fair to enjoy a longer window in which to prepare.

No strangers to international competition — this is their third straight appearance in a CONCACAF tournament — however, the Dynamo are beyond that.

In fact, they can’t wait to play.

“It’s always nice to get back into preseason training, but you really want to get to the games,” Dynamo captain Wade Barrett said after Monday’s practice. “We really put in a lot of work over the last couple of weeks, and we finally get to the fun part.

“Yes, we’re at different parts of our season, but that doesn’t change the fact these are two good teams that are going to be trying to win.”

The latest installment of the ever-brewing MLS-vs.-Mexican First Division rivalry promises to be a clash of styles, quality opponents and, if history is any indication, tempers.

“You know these games are always entertaining,” Barrett said.

For the fan, that is. For the teams, it is serious business.

Knowing the home-and-home series will be decided March 3 in Cancun, the Dynamo will be pressed to make the most of their condition as hosts.

“We have to go in with a positive mentality and try to get wins,” Dynamo forward Kei Kamara said. “Not only that, try to get a lot of goals, because when we go to their place, it is going to be tough.”

As in, no MLS team has yet won a match of importance on Mexican soil.

Dynamo defenders will also be under pressure not to let Atlante find the back of the net at Robertson. Contrary to past CONCACAF club tournaments, the Champions League will use the “away-goals” rule as the first tiebreaker in the knockout stages, meaning that if the sides tie the series in aggregate, the team that scored more goals as a visitor wins.

But the Dynamo have reason to be confident about their chances. The team has enjoyed a productive preseason, playing five scrimmages (2-1-2) and posting four shutouts.

Fitness, Kinnear said, has not been an issue, although he conceded not every player is ready to go 90 minutes. Best of all, the team is healthy, with no injuries to report and only defender Eddie Robinson (red card suspension) to be missed against Atlante.

TONIGHT: Dynamo vs. Atlante

Not familiar with the CONCACAF Champions League? That’s what this primer is for:

What is CONCACAF?: The confederation for the North and Central American and Caribbean region, one of six that makes up FIFA, soccer’s governing body.

What’s the Champions League?: An annual tournament modeled after Europe’s competition of the same name that determines the region’s top soccer club, consisting of a group stage, followed by knockout stages. Beginning in 2008, it replaced the Champions’ Cup.

Besides a trophy, what else does the Champions League winner get?: The winner gets to represent CONCACAF at the FIFA Club World Cup in December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

How did these teams reach the quarterfinal stage?: The Dynamo finished Group B play second (2-1-3 record), while Atlante won Group C 3-1-2 in first-round action last year.